Heartiest Officials Regular Read October 17, 2025 If there’s one thing that unites every Indian household, it’s the belief that “a little ghee never hurt anyone.” Add to that: “One sweet after lunch keeps the mood happy,” and “Fried snacks are fine, we use fresh oil!” We’ve grown up hearing these — and most of us have believed them. After all, our ancestors lived long, ate ghee, enjoyed laddoos, and never heard of calorie charts or cholesterol reports. But here’s the inconvenient truth — they also walked miles every day, ate fresh food, and didn’t live in the age of processed oils, refined sugar, and 12-hour desk jobs. So, when we copy their eating habits without their lifestyles, we’re not following tradition. We’re misinterpreting it. We’re not feeding our hearts anymore — we’re quietly fooling them. The Ghee Confusion: Holy Food or Hidden Hazard? Let’s start with the most debated ingredient in every Indian kitchen — ghee. It’s worshipped in temples, poured on rotis, and sometimes even prescribed as medicine. So what’s the verdict? Is ghee a heart’s best friend or worst enemy? The answer: It depends on quantity, quality, and context. Pure, homemade cow ghee, consumed in moderation (1–2 teaspoons per day), provides good fats that help in absorbing vitamins A, D, E, and K. It even contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) — a compound shown in studies (Harvard, 2018) to reduce inflammation and support metabolism. But the problem is, our “moderation” has gone missing. What was once a teaspoon has turned into a puddle. And the “homemade” ghee is often replaced by commercial versions packed with saturated fats and adulterants. Excess ghee, even the pure kind, still raises LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides if your diet is already oily or sedentary. So yes — ghee is good, but it’s not magic. Ayurveda never said “eat more.” It said “eat right.” The Sugar Trap: The Sweet Slow Poison Now, let’s talk about the second member of our delicious trio — sweets. India is a land of festivals, and sugar seems to have found a permanent residency in our celebrations. But somewhere along the way, our occasional indulgence became a daily habit. Morning tea? Two spoons of sugar. Office break? One biscuit (okay, three). Evening? Something “light” like jalebi or halwa because “dil chahta hai.” According to a 2022 Lancet Global Health study, the average Indian adult consumes 19 teaspoons of sugar per day, while the WHO recommends less than 6. That’s not just excess — that’s assault. The issue isn’t just obesity or diabetes. Excess sugar creates glycation, a process that damages blood vessels and stiffens arteries — literally aging your heart faster. Researchers at the Journal of the American Heart Association found that people who get 20% or more of their calories from added sugars have double the risk of dying from heart disease. In simple words — sugar doesn’t just rot your teeth. It rusts your arteries. The Snack Story: India’s Favorite National Timepass If sugar is the slow poison, snacks are the daily temptation. From samosas to bhujia to those “baked, not fried” chips that lie to your face — India’s snacking culture is unstoppable. Most commercial snacks, even the fancy ones, are made using refined oils rich in trans fats. These fats are the villains of the nutrition world — they increase bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, and raise inflammation markers like C-reactive protein (CRP). A WHO report (2023) linked trans fat consumption to 5 lakh premature heart deaths globally every year. And yet, we buy those packets proudly marked with “Zero Trans Fat” — unaware that labeling laws allow up to 0.5 grams per serving to still claim that. Eat a few servings, and your heart knows the difference. Add to that the modern lifestyle — eating snacks late at night, munching while stressed, or replacing meals with “quick bites.” The problem isn’t the snack itself — it’s how often and how mindlessly we snack. The Cultural Comedy of Food Advice Indian food logic deserves its own Netflix comedy special. “If it’s homemade, it’s healthy.” (So are homemade gulab jamuns?) “Ghee burns fat.” (Sure, if you run a marathon right after.) “Salt is fine, we sweat a lot.” (Yes, on our commute — not in workouts.) We’re a country that proudly mixes ancient Ayurveda with modern denial. We know what’s good, but we always find an excuse to bend the rules. And yet, the joke’s on us — because our hearts aren’t laughing. The Deep Thinking: Why We Confuse Comfort with Care The real problem isn’t just food. It’s emotion. We associate ghee with nourishment, sweets with love, and snacks with comfort. We rarely eat because we’re hungry — we eat because we’re stressed, bored, rewarded, or nostalgic. We think of food as love, but forget that love can also smother. Every festival, family gathering, or tea-time conversation carries one message: “Eat more, you’ll be happier.” But happiness doesn’t come from overeating — it comes from balance. It’s not about removing ghee or sweets from your life. It’s about removing the guilt and excess. Because food that harms your heart can’t possibly be called comfort food. The Science Speaks Several modern studies are bringing balance to this conversation: The PURE Study (2021) showed that total fat intake isn’t harmful if balanced with fiber and exercise. ICMR-NIN 2022 dietary guidelines recommend visible fats (oils/ghee) should not exceed 25 grams per person per day. The Harvard School of Public Health suggests limiting added sugars to less than 10% of total calories. The pattern is clear — you don’t need to fear fat or sugar, you just need to respect them. What We Can Do — Feeding, Not Fooling, Our Hearts Here’s how to make peace with our beloved trio without letting them betray us: 1. Ghee Wisely Use 1–2 teaspoons daily, preferably homemade cow ghee. Avoid using it for deep frying. 2. Sweets as Celebration, Not Routine Save desserts for weekends or occasions. Try fruit-based or jaggery alternatives. 3. Snack Smarter Replace fried snacks with roasted chana, makhana, or sprouts. If you must fry, use fresh oil — and never reuse it. 4. Balance the Plate Include fiber (salads, dal, vegetables) to balance fats and sugar absorption. 5. Move Daily Even 30 minutes of brisk walking can offset occasional indulgence. Food harms most when it meets a sedentary life. A Gentle Laugh Before the Lesson If moderation had a face, it would probably be our grandmother — offering sweets but saying, “Bas, ek aur. No more.” Somewhere, we stopped listening after “ek aur.” The truth is, the human heart doesn’t demand deprivation. It just needs rhythm — in emotions, meals, and movement. Eat your ghee. Enjoy your sweets. Relish your snacks. But do it like your ancestors — with awareness, gratitude, and limits. The Final Beat We aren’t fooling anyone when we say, “I eat healthy, it’s just homemade.” The only one we’re fooling is our heart — until it protests loudly. The love for food should heal, not harm. And the moment we return to mindful moderation, our thalis — and our hearts — will both find peace again. If this blog made you think before your next spoon of ghee or sweet bite — share it. Because real love for food begins when we start loving our health just as much. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
-Regular ReadYour Heart Remembers Every Habit — The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful October 17, 2025
